PYONGYANG: North Korea agreed yesterday to release the family members of Japanese citizens kidnapped by Northern agents in exchange for food and humanitarian aid, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said after meeting with the North's leader.
The agreement marked a breakthrough in what had been an emotional standoff between the two Asian neighbours. Talks on normalisation of Japan-North Korean ties have been stalled by disagreement over the fate of the abductees' families and other issues